jim mcingvale | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Jockey Club Elects Bell, Hertrich, McIngvale, Scollay, Sikura As New Members

The Jockey Club today announced the election of five new members: Gatewood Bell, Fred W. Hertrich III, James McIngvale, Dr. Mary Scollay, and John Sikura.

Gatewood Bell is president of Cromwell Bloodstock Agency. As a bloodstock agent, he has selected horses such as Mastery and Undrafted. In addition to his work in bloodstock, Bell is a member of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and a United States representative for Goffs sales agency. He previously worked for Kiaran McLaughlin and Nicoma Bloodstock and served as a jockey's agent for Fernando Jara.

Fred W. Hertrich III is chairman of the Breeders' Cup and proprietor of Watercress Farm. Horses co-bred by Hertrich include Boys at Toscanova, Catholic Boy, Diversify, Rushing Fall, Shamardal, and Street Boss. Hertrich is also the president of the Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships.

James “Jim” McIngvale is a longtime Thoroughbred owner who is best known as the owner of Eclipse Award Champion Sprinter Runhappy. He has also campaigned grade 2 winners During and Wimbledon. McIngvale owns and operates Gallery Furniture in Houston, Texas, and is known for his philanthropy efforts for a variety of causes in the Houston area and around the world.

Dr. Mary Scollay is the executive director and chief operating officer of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium. Previously, she was the equine medical director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the senior association veterinarian for Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park. She has served as a member of the New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety, a veterinary consultant for The Jockey Club Equine Injury Database, and a board member of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory.

John G Sikura is the president and owner of Hill 'n' Dale / Xalapa, a 1,400-acre estate founded by Edward Simms in 1903. A perennial leading consignor and breeder, Hill 'n' Dale bred/co-bred Belmont winner Touch Gold and Preakness winner Cloud Computing and owned Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, dam of Belmont winner Rags to Riches. Hill 'n' Dale stands a notable roster of stallions, including champion and leading sire Curlin. A native of Toronto, Canada, Sikura has resided in Kentucky since his early 20s.

The post The Jockey Club Elects Bell, Hertrich, McIngvale, Scollay, Sikura As New Members appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Gargan To Saddle First Runhappy 2-Year-Old At The Spa

Highly regarded freshman stallion Runhappy will have his first progeny race at the Spa when Peachy Queen faces a field of 10 juvenile fillies in Sunday's seventh race going 5 ½ furlongs over the main track.

Runhappy, the 2015 Champion Sprinter now standing at Claiborne Farm, captured that year's Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga for owner Jim McIngvale, traveling seven furlongs in a stakes record 1:20.54.

Owned by West Paces Racing, Peachy Queen is out of the Gio Ponti broodmare Year of Promise who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Smiling Tiger and She's a Tiger.

The bay filly has been training forwardly for Danny Gargan at Saratoga most recently posting a bullet half-mile work in 48.20 seconds over the main track.

“She's doing really well,” Gargan said. “I'd like to get her started and get a good race out of her. She's a really sweet filly and very laid back.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Heitrich III, Peachy Queen was purchased for $180,000 from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Jockey Manny Franco will be aboard from post 6.

Live Oak Plantation homebred Our Flash Drive, a Florida-bred Ghostzapper filly, is training sharply for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and could provide steep opposition.

Our Flash Drive breezed a half-mile in 47.46 seconds on July 5 on the Belmont main track in company with Cotton, a 2-year-old New York-bred colt who finished a good second in his July 12 debut at Belmont which garnered a 54 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She outworked Cotton that day pretty handily,” said assistant trainer Jamie Begg.

Our Flash Drive will exit post 10 under Joel Rosario on debut and Begg said the filly will benefit from being outside horses.

“I'm happy she drew outside. I think with this filly it may suit her fancy,” said Begg. “Joel is good at making them settle and the way the track played yesterday, she can pick up the speed.”

Out of the unraced Dynaformer mare Dynamotor, her third dam, Slew City Slicker, produced Grade 1-winner Pool Land.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will debut Maryland-bred Lucifers Lair, a bay Quality Road filly owned and bred by Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group.

Lucifer's Lair is out of the graded stakes-winning Put It Back broodmare Devil's Cave and arrives at her debut off a sharp breeze from the gate at Belmont Park going a half-mile in 48.04 seconds.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard from post 9.

The post Gargan To Saddle First Runhappy 2-Year-Old At The Spa appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

First Winner For Claiborne Farm’s Runhappy Comes At Indiana Grand

Runhappy, the most heavily-promoted stallion in America, sired his first winner as the 2-year-old Libertyrun rolled to a 6 1/4-length victory in Wednesday's fourth race at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino.

James McIngvale — the Houston furniture magnate and philanthropist known as Mattress Mack — has invested mightily to advertise Runhappy, his 2015 champion sprinter who is a stallion at famed Claiborne Farm. As it turns out, McIngvale got a little piece of his investment back as the owner and breeder of Libertyrun.

“That's the first Runhappy winner, and in Mack's silks as a matter of fact,” said Kelly Wohlers, who serves as assistant to trainer Laura Wohlers, McIngvale's sister in law. The Wohlers oversee McIngvale's racing operation and were very involved in training Runhappy. “So, we're very proud of him. Very happy for Mack.”

Libertyrun — carrying McIngvale's blue, white and red silks to victory four days after Independence Day — was exceedingly professional in his racing debut, breaking from post 12 to press the early pace from the outside and then cruising away in the stretch.

“He's not a very big horse, but he is very professional,” said jockey Miguel Mena. “He came out of the gate great. When we got to the stretch, he had his ears pricked and I hit him once and he took off running. I hit him one more time and he continued on again. I think he is a very nice horse.”

There have been four other 2-year-olds to race so far from Runhappy's first crop, which has 69 named foals.

McIngvale is known for his Texas-sized promotions and charitable works. For instance, he opened up his Gallery Furniture showrooms as shelters in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey. He also received worldwide publicity with his “Win It All” promotion where customers who had purchased mattresses or bases totaling at least $3,000 would get their money back if the Houston Astros won baseball's World Series. Those Gallery Furniture consumers cashed in on the Astros' 2017 championship and lost in seven games last year. (Mattress Mack made headlines there by wagering millions through sports books to hedge his bet.)

McIngvale is every bit as enthusiastic in promoting Runhappy by sponsoring stakes and race meets around the country. There also is a $100,000 bonus if a horse sired by Runhappy wins an open maiden race at Belmont Park, Saratoga, Del Mar or Kentucky Downs this summer.

Asked how much his boss has put into promoting Runhappy, Kelly Wohlers said, “Tons. I'm very emotional right now. It's absolutely wonderful.

“He loves to train,” he said of Libertyrun. “He's a very nice athlete. He's got Runhappy's mind, but he's got a little more pep in his step. Runhappy had pep in his step when he got to the paddock. But this horse is all the time on go. He loves what he does.”

Libertyrun, who was born in Louisiana, likely will be pointed to a stakes for Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds, Kelly Wohlers said, though he didn't rule out Ellis Park's $100,000 Runhappy Juvenile on Aug. 9.

The post First Winner For Claiborne Farm’s Runhappy Comes At Indiana Grand appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post